Cup dispenser



April 25, 1967 CUP DISPENSER Filed March 14, 1966 I -4- @WJV V INVENTOR James 10. Ma GuRK J. P. MCGURK 3,315,842

United States Patent 3,315,842 CUP DISPENfiER James P. McGurlr, Pittsfield, Mass, assignor to Greyloelt Plastics, Ina, Pittsfield, Mass, a corporation or Massachusetts Filed Mar. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 534,129 8 Claims. (@l. 221-4510) This invention relates to a cup dispenser for holding a stack of nested cups and for insuring withdrawal of one cup at a time from the dispenser.

Prior to this invention, there has been no really reliable low cost dispenser which insured single cup dispensing with extended use and regardless of the manner in which the cups are taken from the dispenser. The reason for the unreliability of prior dispensers, particularly those made of synthetic plastic, is that in normal day-to-day use, cups are frequently extracted at various oblique angles rather than by a direct vertical pull. As a result, in a great many instances, more than one cup is dislodged from the dispenser. This, of course, resulted in a waste of cups and seemed to occur both when the dispenser was full or nearly empty. Not infrequently, particularly in older dispensers, a large number of cups or even its entire contents are dropped on the floor and for hospital use must be sterilized or thrown away.

In light of the above, an object of this invention is to provide a cup dispenser designed to reliably dispense one cup at a time regardless of the direction and manner in which the cup is removed and whether the storage tube is full or almost empty.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cup dispenser capable of being mounted on any flat vertical surface by a number of conventional means.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cup dispenser having constructional characteristics which can be fabricated of synthetic plastic by simple and economical molding procedures and yet have the reliability discussed above.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a cup dispenser that is durable and light, yet pleasing in appearance.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following specification and appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view with a broken away section showing a cup dispenser embodying this invention with cups therein;

FIG. 2 is a partial rear view showing mounting means;

FIG. 3 is a front partial section showing one cup being withdrawn from the dispenser;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to further withdrawn; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view with sections broken away, of a portion of the dispenser shown in FIGS. 1-4.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the dispenser, generally designated at 10, is generally composed of three parts, a cup storage tube 12, tube cap 14, and a dispensing head 16. As shown in FIG. 1, the cups 118 to be dispensed are disposed in the storage tube 12 and retained therein by the dispenser head 16, as will be hereinafter described.

The dispenser as a unit may be supported on a wall or any other suitable surface by any number of methods. As is shown in FIG. 2, the dispenser head 16 has a mounting bracket 20 integral therewith to receive the heads of screws or other mounting means previously placed in a vertical surface. The flat surface of the mounting bracket 29 also provides a surface on which a suitable adhesive or pressure-sensitive tape may be ap- FIG. 3, but with a cup plied for mounting without the use of screws, nails, 01 other mounting means, such as a ribbed bracket.

As shown, the dispenser head 16 is divided into a cup storage tube support-ed section 22 and a cup dispensing section 24. The tube supporting section 22 is defined by the walls of the upper portion of the dispenser head 16 and the top edge of a flange or rib 26 which serves as a support member for the tube 12.

In the embodiment shown, a plurality of resiliently flexible cup retaining fingers 28 and 3-0 extend downwardly and inwardly within the dispenser head. The fingers 28 are of substantially greater length than fingers 30 and as shown the long and short fingers are alternately disposed about the periphery of the dispenser. While the number of fingers employed does not appear to be limited, I have found that three of each length produce excellent results. The inner surfaces of all the fingers lie in a conical surface of revolution with the base originating at the flange .26.

As is best seen in FIG. 5, the fingers 23 and 3t) taper in cross section from top to bottom both in width w and in thickness 1. This configuration results in greater flexibility of the fingers at their free ends, thus providing the unique dispensing of the cups 18, to be described.

As is clearly shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the actual working mechanism of the dispenser comprises the long and short fingers 28 and 30 respectively. The flange 26 has an inner diameter larger than the rim diameter of the cups 13, thus permitting the cups to pass freely therethrough. As shown in FIG. 1, the rim 32 of lowermost cup 18 is in contact with both the long and short fingers 2.8 and 30. The fingers have sulficient stiffness when acting together to retain the weight of a complete stack of cups in the dispenser. Indeed, two or three of the fingers are sufficient to support the cup stack in the dispenser. While all the fingers exert a retaining force in this condition, it will be noted in FIG. 3, upon partial downward removal of the lower cup from the dispenser head 16, that all the fingers are flexed outwardly until the cup rim clears the short fingers 30 which snap back to grip the rim of the next cup and support the rest of the cups remaining in the dispenser. It will be realized that the short fingers are relatively stiffer at their lower ends than the lower portions of the long fingers and thus serve to efiectively prevent the dispensing of more than a single cup at a time.

As shown in FIG. 4, the three long fingers 23 are sup porting the almost totally withdrawn cup, while the three short fingers 30 are gripping the next cup and supporting the stack of cups in the dispenser. This wiping action of the fingers enables withdrawal of one cup at a time from the dispenser 1t whether or not the dispenser is full or almost empty. When the bottom cup 18 is fully withdrawn from the dispenser, the condition of FIG. 1 again prevails and the apparatus is ready to dispense the next cup.

Because of disposition, relative flexibility and different lengths of the fingers, even if a cup is taken from the dispenser at an oblique angle rather than a direct downward pull, only one cup is released from the fingers of the dispenser. In most previous dispensers under these circumstances more than one cup was released.

I have found that for the greatest reliability of dispensing, the long fingers should be longer than the short fingers by an amount x (FIG. 3) at least equal to the height y (FIG. 4) of the cup rim. Theoretically speaking, there may be no upper limit to the difference in length between the two types of fingers; however, as a practical matter, I have found that a distance x of around 2-3 times the cup rim height provides a high degree of reliability of single cup dispensing action.

In addition to the length relationship of .the dispenser rgers discussed above, it is important that the inner lrfaces of both the short fingers 30 and the long fingers 3 lie essentially in a conical surface having a diameter ss than the rim diameter of the cups to be dispensed. his is, of course, essential so that all the fingers act lgether in supporting the stack of cups and in the disensing of cups as heretofore described. Actually in the nbodiment shown the cup rim diameter is approximately qual to the cone diameter, defined by the inner surfaces f the fingers, at a point appproximatcly equal to onealf the length of the short fingers. Moreover, while it as been found desirable that the inner surfaces of the ngers be concave and define a conical surface as dearibed, it is also feasible to provide fingers which are ot so curved although the curved surface provides reater surface contact for retaining the cup in the disenser.

While the concept of this invention can be adapted for se with almost any type of cup, the cup design, as hown .in the drawings, appears to give the best results. referring to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, it will be noted that the ups 18 are conical in shape with a relatively wide mouth tnd rim 32. The rim is heavier and more rigid in contruction than the cup body and is thus not distorted to my great extent by the pressure of the resilient fingers vhen the cup is removed from the dispenser. In addiion, the rim provides a smooth outer surface on the :ups to facilitate the wiping action of .the fingers in iepa-rating the cups so that only one cup is dispensed Ll. a time. Moreover, the relatively rigid rim aids in the ingers supporting action on the cup stack and is also l factor in determining the difference in length between .he long and short fingers.

It is contemplated that the apparatus of the invention s particularly adapted to dispense disposable cups. Therefore, the cups may be produced of any inexpensive material, such as the synthetic plastics.

Preferably the dispenser should be molded using a suitable synthetic plastic. As the dispenser head is particularly adapted to be molded, and the fingers do require resilient flexibility, I have found that the use of synthetic plastics is not only economical but also provides a very efficient and attractive unit. One particularly good synthetic plastic that can be used is polypropylene. As is well known, this material has a high stren-gth-to-weight ratio, good resistance to stress cracking, heat, chemicals and solvents, and has excellent flexibility characteristics and low coefiicient of friction. It has been found that the combination of polypropylene dispenser construction and polypropylene cups provides excellent results when constructed in accordance with this disclosure, as resilience and frictional characteristics are very important in the dispensing action of the fingers, as described above.

The use of other materials, such as nylon, Deldrin, styrene, etc., is also contemplated.

While the invention has been described in particularity with reference to the preferred form thereof, it readily will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention that further modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a cup dispenser, a dispenser head comprising a plurality of inwardly and downwardly extending cup retaining fingers, the inner surf-ace of said fingers defining in part a conical surface when said fingers are in an unfiexed condition, at least one of said fingers being sub stantially shorter than the other of said fingers, the conical surf-ace defined by the lower portions of said fingers having a diameter less than the maximum diameter of the cups to be dispensed therefrom whereby all of said fingers simultaneously engage the lowermost cup to be dispensed, and said fingers being sutficiently resilient to be flexed outwardly by the passage of a cup thereby.

2. In a cup dispenser, a dispenser head comprising a support member, a plurality of cup retaining fingers extending inwardly and downwardly from said support member and lying in a conical surface when said fingers are in an unflexed condition, each of said fingers terminating on a circle of said conical surface having a diameter less than the maximum diameter of the cups to be dispensed, at least one of said fingers being substantially shorter than the other of said fingers thereby aiding in the separation of said cups upon withdrawal of the lowermost cup and said fingers being sufficiently resilient to be flexed outwardly by the passage of a cup thereby.

3. In a cup dispenser, a dispenser head comprising a support member having a diameter substantially larger than the maximum diameter of the cups to be dispensed, a plurality of alternating long and short cup retaining fingers extending inwardly and downwardly from said support member and lying in a conical surface when said fingers are in an unfiexed condition, said fingers being equally spaced about said support member, each of said fingers terminating at a point on said conical surface at which the diameter is less than the maximum diameter of the cups and said fingers being sufiiciently resilient to be flexed outwardly by the passage of a cup thereby.

4. In a cup dispenser, an integrally molded polypropylene dispenser head comprising a vertical mounting bracket, a cup storage tube support section, and a cup dispensing section, said cup storage tube support section including a support member disposed about the inner wall of said dispenser head, said cup dispensing section including a plurality of alternating long and short resilient cup retaining fingers equally spaced on said support member and extending inwardly and downwardly therefrom in a conical surface when said fingers are in an untlexed condition, each of said fingers terminating on a circle of said conical surface having a diameter less than the maximum diameter of the cups to be dispensed.

5. In a cup dispenser, a dispenser head comprising a plurality of cup retaining fingers extending inwardly and downwardly within said dispenser head, the upper ends of said fingers lying on the perimeter of a circle having a diameter substantially larger than the maximum diameter of the cups to be dispensed, the lower ends of said fingers defining a circle of less diameter than the cups to be dispensed whereby all of said fingers engage the lowermost cup to be dispensed when said fingers are in an unfiexed condition, said fingers being sufficiently resilient to be flexed outwardly by the passage of a cup thereby and at least one of said fingers being substantially shorter than the other of said fingers.

6. A cup dispenser comprising in combination a dispenser head and cups to be dispensed thereby, said cups having a conical side wall terminating in an outwardly offset substantially vertical rim at its upper end, said dispenser head having a plurality of alternating long and short fingers extending inwardly and downwardly within said dispenser head, the tops of said fingers lying on the perimeter of a circle having a diameter substantially larger than the diameter of said cup, the lower ends of said fingers lying on the perimeters of circles having diameters less than the maximum diameter of said cup, and the difference in length between said long and said short fingers being at least equal to the height of the cup rim.

7. In a cup dispenser, an integrally molded synthetic plastic dispenser head comprising a plurality of circumferentially-spaced, cup-retaining fingers extending inwardly and downwardly, the inner surfaces of said fingers lying in a conical surface of revolution when said fingers are in an unfiexed condition, each of said fingers tenninating at a point on said surface of revolution at which the circumference is less than that of the cups to be dispensed by said dispenser, said fingers beingresiliently flexible to permit the passage of a cup therethrough, and at least one of said fingers being substantially shorter in length than the other of said fingers, whereby a cup removed from said dispenser is sequentialy released by said fingers.

8. In a dispenser for dispensing cups having a conical side wall, with an outwardly olfset substantially vertical rim, an integrally molded polypropylene dispenser head comprising a vertical mounting bracket, a cup storage tube support section which includes a support member, disposed about the inner wall of said dispenser head, having a diameter substantially larger than the maximum diameter of said cups, and a cup dispensing section which includes a plurality of equally spaced, alternate long and short, resiliently flexible, cup retaining fingers extending inwardly and downwardly from said support member, the inner surface of each of said fingers lying in a conical surface of revolution when said fingers are in an unfiexed condition, the free end of each of said fingers terminating at a point on said conical surface of revolution at which the diameter is less than the maximum diameter of said cups, said fingers tapering in width and thickness from their point of origin on said support mem ber to their free ends, and said long fingers being greater in length than said short fi-ngers by at least an amount equal to the height of said cup rim.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,058,787 4/1913 Nias 221-308 1,261,947 4/1918 Lockwood 221-306 X 1,289,487 12/1918 Lockwood 221-303 X 1,336,469 4/1920 Luellen 221-310 2,614,727 10/1952 Robinson 220-74 X 3,121,511 2/1964 Whitehead 221-305 X 3,211,329 10/1965 Boyd 221-308 X 3,215,300 11/1965 Lynch 215-10 X ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CUP DISPENSER, A DISPENSER HEAD COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING CUP RETAINING FINGERS, THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FINGERS DEFINING IN PART A CONICAL SURFACE WHEN SAID FINGERS ARE IN AN UNFLEXED CONDITION, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FINGERS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SHORTER THAN THE OTHER OF SAID FINGERS, THE CONICAL SURFACE DEFINED BY THE LOWER PORTIONS OF SAID FINGERS HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THE MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF THE CUPS TO BE DISPENSED THEREFROM WHEREBY ALL OF SAID FINGERS SIMULTANEOUSLY ENGAGE THE LOWERMOST CUP TO BE DISPENSED, AND SAID FINGERS BEING SUFFICIENTLY RESILIENT TO BE FLEXED OUTWARDLY BY THE PASSAGE OF A CUP THEREBY. 